Them morning. You were live in the Cnn Newsroom. Im Jim Acosta in washington. We are following Breaking News this Morning Disaster in Western North Carolina as one North Carolina official put it the devastation is quote biblical large swaths are completely cut off in that area. Official say, all roads there are considered closed. These are exclusive pictures coming into cnn showing the destruction in asheville. What you are looking at is the main Road And Biltmore village near the famous biltmore estate. Its a five lane road, usually full of cars now, its covered in debris and mud. People walking down the Middle Of The Road looking for supplies that as a comment in sight these days, helene tore through the historic village, the floodwaters. You can see right here rising to Roof Level and pushing trailers and to buildings, Power And Water are out in much of the city. This is a transform where you can see it right there just lying in the Middle Of The Road leaking fluid. Its been there for days and the Power Company says they are hoping to restore power to most customers by friday in four Days Cell Service is spotty. Throughout this area of people are still desperately trying to contact their Loved Ones in the area at 600 people in Buncombe County are unaccounted for at this hou dead across North Carolina from the storm. And officials say that number for is expected to go higher joining me now is the asheville mayor s there manheim are mayor. Thank you so much for being with us. What do we know about the hundreds of people who are said to be unaccounted for as at this hour is it possible the Death Toll could go much higher . Than what were seeing at the moment. What can you tell us its very difficult to know for sure because our communications are so compromised, a lot of people still are not able to use their phone to call or text and we have parts of our community that are completely cut off because of road washouts. So its hard to confirm whether or not people are okay. So i think thatll be an evolving situation over the next few days as we reestablish communications and get Cell Service restored to the whole City And County that were in and do we know how long people could be without Power And Water . I mean, this has been going on for a few days now this is this is an unprecedented, catastrophic catastrophic event. This this storm has exceeded the flooding that weve ever seen historically in this area of the rivers crested higher than they ever had on record so i we cannot yet estimate how long it will take to restore power to everyone. Duke energy is our provider here they are working on that. And how long it will take to restore water to everyone. We were still in a critical Emergency Stage of this situation and right now, our parties to get Drinking Water and Food And Gas into folks so that they have the Basic Necessities to continue to support themselves and their families and we also understand that the Food Supplies have also been hit by this Distribution Sites are going to be set up. What can you tell us about that . Were hopeful to know more Information Today at the state and the federal government, is theyre bringing in resources and were going, we have all kinds of folks ready to distribute them once youre here. Thank you to everyone in asheville. And Buncombe County, who is volunteering to help distribute those regions . Sources. We will be able to name the areas that people can go to to receive them. As soon as that information will hopefully be released later today. But as you mentioned, we are cut off from Highway Access from three of the four major highways into ashevilles. So obviously this isnt credible challenge. Some resources are having to be flown in. This is an evolving situation, but were hopeful to get some resources critically needed resources in here. Today. And what about the federal and State Emergency Assistance . Are you seeing that yet fema State Emergency officials, what can you tell us about that . So we do have female here we but we are still waiting on vital resources in terms of Water And Food and other governor has been in touch with me multiple times. The governor will actually be here. This afternoon to be able to see whats happening on the ground but they are they have their Emergency Operations set up and everything is operational. But we are having as we understand it, theres a theres some challenges in terms of getting these resources here. So were still waiting for those vital resources to arrive. And were looking at some of this video now and is just unbelievable. The water near the rooftops when were seeing all of this District Height of where it was over the weekend. What does it been like for the people in your community . Just living through this . You know, folks are in shock i mean, i have to tell you, ive never seen anything like this. Ive been in several hurricanes in eastern North Carolina just to see people come out of their homes serving the damage just in shock. There are neighborhoods where every other house has a tree on it or through it roads blocked, multiple trees down on one road. The Power Lines it looks like spaghetti its hard to describe the chaos that it looks like. It really feels like a postapocalyptic seen in some Tv Show watched. And ive never thought i would see it myself and the inability to communicate no Ones Phone is working. Were getting were getting some communications restored you know, i happen to be in downtown asheville, the only square Block Area that has power. So im able to communicate with you, but this is recede we are seeing just piles, peoples houses that were destroyed, buildings that were destroyed, cars overturned, trash, and debris i mean, it reminds me it can trina, where they had to go Door To door and look in each Vehicle Mark whether or not anyone was in it i think were going to continue to need to survey this entire situation, but let me just say, i am so proud of asheville and Buncombe County. The folks that have come together to help their neighbors to check on their neighbors. Before it can hike out of my house and get to its my mom, her neighbors had already checked on her we really have come together as a community. I knew this was a wonderful Community And Theyve really shown their true colors and helping Each Other and devastation yeah. And i guess thats why im wondering, you know, if as you survey the damage here in the next day or two it just seems logical that the number of dead that were seeing right now is just going to go up. When you get your arms around this full scale of what were looking at yeah. I think sadly thats going to be true. Weve heard weve heard accounts of people seeing houses floating down the river with people in so. We know that we know that that Death Toll will rise. I hope and pray it doesnt rise much at all. But it were were prepared for the worst and we have a tremendous team of first responders that is working around the clock, checking on everyone, checking to see him recover folks. Unfortunately. And we also want to do a big thank you to all of the first responders from around the country that are coming here to help us and all the tillery folks that are coming here to help us restore Power And Service since to the community. Thank you so much to those folks who are working tirelessly and staying in a hotel that doesnt have any water so we really appreciate all the first responders that are going Above And Beyond for our community and i know the governor you said is heading your way. We do expect the president to speak at some point within the next hour or so. What do you need to hear from state and federal officials at this point . We you know we are going to need resources. This isnt going to be over quickly. I cant even think about a timeframe for how long its going to take to recover from the storm. So we need we need Emergency Relief right now. We need everything from Food And Water your to portapotties to Baby Formula. You name it all the Basic Necessities that anyone can imagine you need an a Storm Situation like this but then we need continuing support after this, we are going to have to rebuild roads and Bridges Infrastructure to stay in this Community Backup alright. May he arrest or manheim are of asheville, North Carolina is of great city. Im sorry for everything that youre going through right now, but it sounds like help is on the way. Hopefully, all the help that you need. Thank you so much for your time this morning, mayor, we appreciate it. Thank you thank you alright. And for more, lets bring in Cnn Correspondent Mary bell gonzalez, who was on the ground and asheville, North Carolina, marry about it just looks devastating. All of the images that were seeing so far. What are you seeing . Yes. Good morning, jim definitely its devastating. Its a dire situation here in asheville. Just take a look behind me. You can get a sense of why that is. This is just one of the hundreds of roads that is closed at this hour. As you can see, theres heavy, Heavy Mud that sludge is different fickle to walk through, let alone drive through. Its a very dangerous situation. Right now. Were just now starting to see groups of people come back into the area. This very historic area, biltmore village. This looked very different, even a couple of days ago, right . It was the raging waters here. But this is a very historic area. This is a very beloved area by the locals here, we spoke to a group of workers just behind me at this dairy distribution center, some of them saying their inventory completely destroyed the business inside the foundation, disrupted by this flooding. Even as much as receiving as much as eight feet of water, something they did not expect to be hit so hard. One of the folks telling me that they may not even have a job to go back to just incredible arent Mary Bell Gonzalez in asheville, North Carolina . Thank you so much. And communities across helenes 500 Mile Path of destruction are in need of Basic Necessities at this hour for waiting you can help go to cnn. Com impact and well be right back tim Walz And J. D. 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Emergency officials say but there have been multiple Air Rescues in the Lake Lure chimney Rock Area since saturday morning. And let me go straight to Cnn Meteorologist elisa raffa, who can walk us through some of the damage that were looking at right now, at least its kind of hard to put your arms around this. I mean, this is just staggering. Some of the video that were seeing coming out of that part of the country it really does leave you speechless when you see what this looks like full communities that are in pieces, literally just sitting on the ground and in the lake. And i used to do some local coverage in North Carolina and the community there. I can tell you is just reeling. Ive seeing so many posts on Social Media from people that are trying to reach out with supplies to send them up to these Mountain Communities but this is what happens when you have the force of water, of rain that comes in two to three feet. I mean, some of these Rainfall Totals have been 20 inches, 30 inches coming down in just a couple of hours ours and that is what the force of an intense water can do. I mean, when we say turn around, dont drown its because it only a foot of water can take away your car. Imagine were seeing what two to three feet can do and we know heavy precipitation events like this are only becoming more likely and more extreme jam elisa raffa, thank you so much. Are we want to go straight to a Press Conference right now, florida governor Ron Desantis is in steinhatchee, florida. That area also devastated by Hurricane Helene County Emergency Management partners to open recovery shelters throughout the impacted area. So you can be connected to resources and assistance in teams to assist with finding solutions to any barriers that may exist. Were also working now with the department of Emergency Management and they are working to provide Travel Trailers for people to live while on their property. So some homes are totally gone, which is obviously a very tragic thing. Theres other homes that had major flooding, maybe they have to muck and gut the interior you dont want to have to travel an Hour And Sleep and then come back to work on your arms. They put Travel Chiller right there on your property and youre able to do that. You can work. Yeah. People come in, you supervised that. Its much better. I think people liked that better. So weve mobilized hundreds of trailers around the state and were willing to get hundreds of more if needed. If you need a Travel Trailer to be brought to your property, you can go through hope, florida, the Hope Line is now 24 7 and the Numbers A33 get Hope A33 get hope. You can request a Travel Trailer and Hope Florida will work with kevin his team to get that done. We also have hoped buses that are now available for Inperson Service for communities impacted by The Storm On Saturday and almost immediately after the storm you had Hope Buses deployed to Taylor And Madison counties. Also, Pascoe And Manatee over the weekend. Now we have five Hope Buses, Bridge Church in madison, 9 00 a. M. To 12 Alton Church of God Family Life center in mayo, 12 to five Steen Hatchie community center, tend to four State College of Florida And Braden 1012 to five. James speed Gills Family Ymca of West Pascoe and trinity tend to two. So if you do go to the who you know, you can call the Hope Line to. You dont have to go to the bus. But if you go to the bus what they will be able to do is link you with resources that are available, not just government resources and not even primarily government resources. We were with Operation Rubicon in pasco county, got a lot of need for mckend guts there. They perform those services. Theres other services that are